Typically, a lacrosse stick includes a shaft and a head. The head has attached thereto a plurality of strands that are inter-engaged to define a pocket, which is supported within a frame. In use, the shaft is gripped by the user, and the mesh pocket cups and supports a ball.
Typically, nylon and leather are used to construct the pocket. A leather pocket has leather runners that are fixed at the top and bottom of the frame. The leather runners are joined to the side of the frame by a nylon rope that is woven to form a net or mesh for the ball to sit on. The runners are advantageous as they allow the ball to leave the pocket at a relatively high velocity and a high degree of accuracy. One disadvantage of such a construction is that the leather runners are extremely water absorbent and will stretch when wet. Further, when the leather dries, the leather will shrink, which may occur unevenly.
Two types of nylon mesh are used, namely a hard mesh and a soft mesh. A hard mesh allows the ball to leave the stick at a relatively high velocity, similar to that of a mesh with leather runners. However, the mesh has very little give. Accordingly, it is hard to catch passes and carry the ball in the mesh while running. Further, the ball has a tendency to pop out of the pocket when the stick is checked.
A hard mesh is obtained by coating nylon with a liquid rope whipping agent, a stiffening agent. For example, United States patent application publication 2006/0258488 to Lamson discloses coating the mesh with polyurethane elastomer, polyester, vinyl, polyvinylidene fluoride, polypropylene, EVA, ionomer, thermoplastic urethane, and polyamide. According to Lamson, such stiffening agents allow the user to throw the ball faster and with more accuracy. However, the use of stiffening agents may also reduce the ease with which a user may carry or hold the ball in the mesh. Accordingly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,278,936 to Tucker discloses coating only a portion of the mesh with a stiffening agent, such that the ball may be held in the coated portion when the user is throwing the ball, and in the non-coated portion when a user is carrying the ball. In the disclosure of Tucker, the stiffening agent is applied to the stick by spraying, painting, or dipping.
A soft mesh, an nylon that is not coated with a liquid rope whipping agent, has superior cushioning and holding characteristics, thereby producing a pocket that is better for catching passes, carrying the ball while running and picking up a ball. However, the mesh tends to grip the ball as it is shot, which may result in the ball having a relatively slower velocity and reduced accuracy.
Several methods are known for applying a wax to a substrate such as a fabric or a surface. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,633 to Van Huffel et al. discloses a method of applying a wax to a surface such as the bottoms of skis. The method includes providing a carrier sheet that is loaded with wax and is substantially impervious to the passage of melted wax therethrough. The carrier sheet is applied to the surface and heated to melt the wax and deposit it on the skis. U.S. Pat. No. 6,821,303 to Polsky discloses a method of applying a wax to a cloth material for creating Batik art. The method involves applying a carrier sheet, which is loaded with wax, to the cloth, and applying pressure to the carrier sheet to deposit the wax onto the cloth.